> > 2) I need these things to be in numpy. I hate to start another
> > "should this go into numpy or scipy" thread, but I actually do think
> > there is a decent case for moving the core sparse arrays into numpy
> > (not the solvers though). Please hear me out:
> >
> > a) Numpy at its core is about arrays. Conceptually, sparse arrays fit
> > into this narrow vision of Numpy.
>> Previously, Travis has stated a desire to get some form of standard
> sparse array (or possibly just matrix) support into numpy 1.1 for
> precisely this reason. I happen to agree. However, I have to address
> the following points.
I did not know that. It would definitely have to wait until 1.1.
>> > b) Sparse arrays are just as foundational as dense arrays in many
> > areas of computing/science (I would argue, that they are more
> > foundational than ffts and random numbers).
>> The parenthetical is not a relevant argument.
> numpy.{linalg,fft,random} exist because of history, not design. In
> order to convince people to move from Numeric to numpy, we *had* to
> support a transition from the LinearAlgebra, FFT, and RandomArray
> modules that were distributed with Numeric.
I understand this, but that doesn't mean we can't make future
decisions about what goes into NumnPy based on more principled ideas.
>> > d) It would not make numpy more difficult to build.
>> A fair amount of the current sparse code uses C++ templates, so I will
> have to say that this statement needs qualification. The impact may be
> low, but it is not negligible. If we rewrite it not to use C++, then
> we don't know how much more difficult it will be. We will need to
> evaluate that when the code is written. The only thing that we can be
> sure won't make numpy more difficult to build is pure Python code.
At some level this is true. C++ template are nice in principle, but
not always so in practice because of build issues. We would just have
to see, but I am hopeful. On the other hand, if the build problems
were really that much of a problem, they would be equally problematic
in scipy.
Brian
> --
> Robert Kern
>> "I have come to believe that the whole world is an enigma, a harmless
> enigma that is made terrible by our own mad attempt to interpret it as
> though it had an underlying truth."
> -- Umberto Eco
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